Dr. Mark E. Shaw's focus in part 3 of The Prodigal series is the older brother's role and how the characters in the parable relate to addiction within the family.
Podcast #26 is the focus on the younger brother.
The father is the focus of podcast #27.
The older brother's role is the focus of podcast #28
The Addiction Connection's coming soon video series of Family Help for Addiction: A Care Group Study is where you can find Dr. Shaw's more thorough teaching on this Luke 15 passage.Find out more about how to obtain the study and all the supplemental materials as soon as it is released at www.theaddictionconnection.org. Obtain the book Divine Intervention: Hope and Help for Families of Addicts at www.focuspublishing.com or by calling 1800-913-6287.
Focusing on verses 25-32, Mark teaches about the significance of the older son's anger and refusal to celebrate the repentance of the younger son.
The audiences to whom Jesus was teaching this parable were the Pharisees and the Scribes.
The older brother has a mindset of thinking his younger brother is undeserving of this celebration and he's right. We are all undeserving of grace and celebration when we repent but that's what God gives us.
The older brother is angry and refuses to go to the party. Even when the father comes out to plead with him to come into the party, the older son answers with resentment. We aren't to be like this -- condemning people in their sin. We welcome them in their repentance and we welcome them back to the Father.
Mark speaks compassionate wisdom to siblings or family members of those struggling with an addiction.
Other members of the family feel ignored, mistreated, and often want to condemn the repentance of the addict when he returns. It's a common reaction. It is not right though. His anger and disdain are a result of his focus on himself.
The lesson is to all of us that when a repentant person comes to know Christ we need to celebrate that. Kanye West's repentance was recently in the news. We are thankful that he is professing to be a Christian now and that he is writing God-fearing lyrics and songs. It is a reason to celebrate whenever someone says that they are now following Christ. All new converts need to be disciplined and grow in grace and knowledge as they study scripture and receive teaching.
The older son in the parable Jesus told missed the point. He missed an opportunity to celebrate and rejoice with his father and his brother. We don't want to be like that. Look to Christ and look to heaven with gratitude when someone repents and turns to Christ in faith. There's nothing better than to see someone who is lost be found.
